Stenson
New Head-Fier
Hey guys,
I'm looking for a new set of headphones. I am very much a newbie in this hobby. I've been using some old Beyerdynamic MMX300s for about 12 years and they have definitely seen better days. So I'm here looking for some recommendations. I'd like to keep the price at $1,000 or less, but I am pretty flexible in that regard. The main uses for the headphones will be both music and gaming. I have no issues doing some EQ to get the sound quality I want. I've been using closed headphones for a long time. I'm undecided whether I really want open or closed headphones. I'm now older and at a new stage of life, enjoying my kids as they grow up. I see both positives and negatives of both types (nice and quiet when the headphones are on but can't hear if anyone calls for me vs. hearing everything but being able to jump up to help when I hear something).
Cliff notes version:
Thanks in advance!
I'm looking for a new set of headphones. I am very much a newbie in this hobby. I've been using some old Beyerdynamic MMX300s for about 12 years and they have definitely seen better days. So I'm here looking for some recommendations. I'd like to keep the price at $1,000 or less, but I am pretty flexible in that regard. The main uses for the headphones will be both music and gaming. I have no issues doing some EQ to get the sound quality I want. I've been using closed headphones for a long time. I'm undecided whether I really want open or closed headphones. I'm now older and at a new stage of life, enjoying my kids as they grow up. I see both positives and negatives of both types (nice and quiet when the headphones are on but can't hear if anyone calls for me vs. hearing everything but being able to jump up to help when I hear something).
Cliff notes version:
- Budget: ~$1,000, somewhat flexible
- Main Uses: Gaming and music
- Open / Closed: TBD, looking at both options for now
- Other Qualities:
- Comfortable
- Deep bass extension
- Durable, would hope to keep these as my only pair of headphones for the next 10 years
- Very Detailed
- Imaging is more important to me than sound stage
- Sennheisser HD800S
- Time: About a month
- Good: so detailed, great imaging
- Bad: thin sound, bass was very lacking, fit issues with oversized cups (leaning back in my chair pushed them forward into my ear)
- Sennheisser HD820
- Time: About a month
- Good: same as above but slightly less thin, slightly more bass
- Bad: same fit issue, seal issue (maybe because I wear glasses)
- These I only listened to for about 30 minutes - 1 hour each. It was a while back, so a brief take on each...
- Mr. Speakers Ether Flow Open: these were my favorite of this listening group. Sounded very closed for being an open headphone.
- Mr. Speakers Ether Flow Closed: sounded very boring. Nothing really stood out about these.
- Mr. Speakers Aeon Closed: sounded more lifeless than the Mr Speakers Ether Flow Closed.
- Audeze LCD-3: these were interesting. Felt like they wouldn't be comfortable long term and sound felt veiled... bass was great, sound was anything but thin... so not sure if that veiled sound was just not enough time to adapt to them.
Thanks in advance!
Last edited: